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Stasio untied the leather strap from his blond hair. “I’ve got last watch.”
A tracker, Levka thought. Why would the Dallas league send a tracker after them? Or was he an assassin? The league hired assassins to eliminate vampires who were deemed unstable, uncontrollable, any who might give their kind away. A tracker was one thing, and he could cause problems enough. All he’d have to do was alert a local vampire squad to grab them and turn them over to the Dallas league.
If he were an assassin, he wouldn’t need to call anyone at all.
Dread wormed its way into the marrow of Levka’s bones. His mind told him they should move again. His body revolted and won out as he succumbed to another fitful sleep.
***
Caitlin tugged her bags through the security check point at the Fort Lauderdale cruise ship terminal, but a teen sitting quietly in a wheelchair caught her eye. The longer she watched him, the more she realized he wasn’t as calm as he first appeared. His dark brown eyes watched nearly everyone and everything. Was he looking for someone? It appeared no one was with him. Maybe his parents were checking in their luggage, and he was worried about their departure.
Her foster sister, Alicia, snorted behind her. “Why would anyone bring an invalid on a cruise? What a waste of money.”
“Maybe he’s dying, and this is his last chance to take his first cruise or something, Alicia. You know, you could be nicer sometimes.”
“What’s not nice? How can he enjoy a cruise when he can’t do anything? Seems stupid to me. Haven’t you finished checking in your luggage yet?”
Caitlin could hardly take her eyes off the teen. He wasn’t the kind of guy she was usually interested in, long dark hair pulled back into a tail, dark eyes, more of a sleek panther look. She liked the kind of guys who were fairer and more muscular. Yet she couldn’t help worrying about him being all alone, unable to fend for himself.
“Hurry it up, will you?” Alicia said. “I want to get on the stupid ship and get with my friends.”
A redheaded guy joined the teen in the wheelchair and glanced her way. His wild, curly hair hung way down past his shoulders, making him look like one of the guys she had seen at a Celtic festival, though this guy didn’t have a beard. Still, it was the other boy who totally intrigued her. The redhead smiled at her, then said something to the dark-haired boy. He looked her way, his penetrating dark eyes capturing her, holding her hostage.
Alicia shoved Caitlin. “Go, will ya?”
She gave Alicia an annoyed look and glanced back at the teens. The redhead was pushing the wheelchair toward another security checkpoint. Satisfied he was taking care of the guy in the wheelchair, Caitlin hurried through the rest of the security checkpoint.
When Caitlin climbed the boarding walkway, Alicia walked beside her, repeating most of what she’d said to her on the short flight from Orlando to here. “I can’t imagine why my mom and dad wanted you to come with us, you poor thing. I think it’s totally cruel of them to force you to travel across miles and miles of open water when you’re so afraid of it.” She gave Caitlin a snide smile. “But don’t worry. If you feel uncomfortable, you can stay in our suite and sleep. That’s what I’d do if I were you. Me, as soon as they open the pool, I’m going swimming. So if you want to find me, that’s where I’ll be, either beside the pool tanning, or in it.”
“Pools don’t bother me,” Caitlin lied, determined to stick by Alicia’s side like she’d promised her Mildred and Thomas. “And I’m not afraid of the ocean anymore.”
Alicia gave a short bark of laughter. “Yeah, right. Oh, and it’ll be a while before we get our luggage so maybe you can find an inside lounge to sit in so you don’t have to see the water.”
“Thanks, I might do that.” Not.
“Good. We’ll get along fine if you do.”
Caitlin wasn’t interested in getting along with Alicia. She had a job to do, despicable as it was.
Alicia headed for some of her high school girlfriends gathered next to the railing on the upper deck. “Hey, anyone see Dylan yet?”
Unwelcome among Alicia’s clique of girlfriends, Caitlin chose to watch the people down below, loading food and drinks onto the ship, and the antlike parade of passengers walking up the ramp. The teen in the wheelchair caught her eye again. The redhead was still with him, and a blond and another brown-haired guy appeared to be friends of his, the way they stuck close and spoke to him. All wore ponytails, which seemed a little odd. Which school were they from? Which state?
An announcement on the public address system stated that a snowstorm had held up a flight of passengers from Chicago and would further delay the ship’s sailing. Not believing a cruise ship would delay departure for a few people, she shook her head. Though if she was lucky, it would be delayed for a week, and the ship would never leave the dock.
A deep voice penetrated her space. “You’re not really planning on chaperoning Alicia and me the whole trip, are you, Caitlin?”
She turned around and found Alicia’s latest boyfriend, Dylan, standing behind her. His spiked blond hair made his angular features and blue eyes seem harsher than normal. He lived on the edge, just avoiding getting into trouble with the police, but barely.
“Yep, I am. So be forewarned.” Caitlin knew there was little she could do about Alicia’s actions, but she had no intention of letting either of them know how she truly felt about her impossible mission.
Once they disembarked at the islands, beware. She’d be itching to use her powers, and anyone who gave her grief would quickly cease and desist.
Towering over her at six feet tall, Dylan gave her a smirk. “Really. See ya around then.” He stalked off toward Alicia and her girlfriends.
Someone stumbled behind Caitlin and bumped into her, dropping his backpack on her sandaled feet. “I’m sorry,” the blond-haired guy said, grabbing his bag.
She recognized him as one of the guys with the wheelchair-bound teen. “It’s okay,” she tried reassuring the poor guy as he nearly dropped his bag again.
